politics.co.uk podcast: Two deadlocked debates

Friday, 25 November 2011 9:01 AM

Neither side is giving ground on either the economy or party funding this week.

politics.co.uk's Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson reports on the impasse over big money's role in politics, which looks set to stay for now. But the debate over the economy continues to hot up, as chancellor George Osborne delivers his autumn statement.

This week's podcast features interviews with business leaders at the CBI conference in central London. They gave their views on the coalition's approach to the economy - and their concerns about confidence as the eurozone crisis continues. Even with their broad support over the deficit reduction agenda, Osborne has his work cut out to brighten the mood.

We also spoke to Labour's Margaret Beckett and the Conservatives' Oliver Heald, the two key players on the committee on standards in public life who have effectively blocked its proposals to reform the party funding system. Neither side is prepared to make concessions to remove big money from politics - here's their attempts to explain why they won't budge.

Tags:
• deficit reduction
,
• economic recovery
,
• margaret beckett
,
• oliver heald
,
• party funding
,
• spending cuts